He turned towards the large drawing-room; the Councillor looked angrily after him.
“He is incorrigible. I almost wonder he did not turn me out of the house. That will be the next thing. Do not fatigue yourself so much, Count. It is of no use.”
VII
The Count had entered a few minutes before, in his deputy’s uniform, with the Cross of St. John. The room was by this time nearly full, and he had had some difficulty in making his way to the ladies of the house. Elsa had not helped him in his efforts; at the moment that he appeared in the doorway she continued so eagerly the conversation already begun with Captain von Schönau, that the Count, after bowing to Sidonie, had stood for half a minute behind her without attracting her attention, till Schönau at last felt bound with “I think” and a movement of the hand to draw her notice to the newly-arrived guest.
“I am happy—” said the Count.
“Ah! Count Golm!” exclaimed Elsa, with well-acted astonishment. “I beg your pardon for not having seen you sooner, I was so absorbed. May I introduce you? Captain von Schönau, on the staff—a great friend of ours—Count von Golm. Have you seen papa, Count Golm? I think he is in the other room. You were saying, Captain von Schönau—”
The Count stepped back with a bow.
“That was rather strong, Fräulein Elsa,” said Schönau.
“What?”
Schönau laughed.
“Do you know that if I were not the most modest of men I might imagine all possible and impossible follies?”
“How so?”
“Why, did not you see that the Count held out his hand, and drew back with a face as red as my collar? A young lady with such sharp eyes as Fräulein Elsa von Werben could only overlook such a thing if she did not wish to see it; which can hardly be the case here, or if she—I am afraid to go on.—Who is that?”
“Who?”
“That officer—to the left, near Baroness Kniebreche—you are looking to the right! He is speaking to your father now—a fine-looking man—he has got the cross, too. Where did you meet with him?”
Elsa was forced to make up her mind to see Reinhold, though her heart beat fast, to her great annoyance. She was vexed already at having laid herself open to Schönau’s sharp-sighted eyes, and almost betrayed herself to him by her behaviour to the Count. It should not happen again.
“A Herr Schmidt,” she said, arranging the rosebuds in her hair—“a merchant-captain. We made his acquaintance when we were travelling. Papa likes him very much.”
“A very fine-looking man,” repeated Schönau; “just the sort of handsome, manly face that I admire; and a very good manner, too, though one recognises the officer of the reserve at the first glance.”
“In what way?” asked Elsa, whose heart began to beat again.
“You ought to know that as well or better than I do, as you see more of the Guards. Compare him with Ottomar, who is late as usual, and is trying to repair his faults by making himself doubly agreeable! Look at the finished courtesy with which he kisses old Countess Kniebreche’s bony hand, and now turns and makes a bow to Countess Fischbach, for which the great Vestris might have envied him—Allons, mon fils, montrez votre talent; and how he speaks now to Sattelstädt, not a shade too much or too little. It is really unfair to compare one of the reserve with the model of all knightly graces! Do not you agree with me?”
Elsa only looked straight before her. Schönau was right; there was a difference. She had liked him better as he walked up and down the deck in his rough pilot jacket. She had envied him the firmness and freedom of his movements. And when later he sat in the boat and steered it as calmly as a rider governs his fiery steed, then he had appeared to her as the model of a brave man conscious of his strength. If only he had not come now, just now!
At that moment Reinhold, who had all this time been talking to her father, and was now dismissed with a friendly nod, turned, and seeing Elsa, came straight towards her. Elsa trembled so violently that she was obliged to support herself by laying her hand on the back of a chair; she wished to act a little comedy before the quick-witted Schönau, and to appear perfectly cool and unconcerned; but as he now stepped towards her, his bright, honest eyes still beaming at the recollection of her father’s kind reception of him, in the open, manly features a certain embarrassment, which seemed to ask, “Shall I be welcome to you also?” her heart leaped up warmly and generously; and though one hand still rested on the chair, she held out the other towards him. Her dark eyes glowed, her red lips smiled, and she said: “Welcome to our house, my dear Herr Schmidt!” as cheerfully and frankly as if there were no finer name in the world.
He seized her hand and said a few words which she only half heard. She turned towards Schönau, the Captain had vanished; the colour mounted into her cheeks.
“It does not matter,” she murmured.
“What does not matter?”
“I will tell you by-and-by if—We are going to dance a little after supper. I do not know—”
“Whether I dance! I am very fond of it.”
“Even the Rheinländer?”
“Even the Rheinländer. And notwithstanding your incredulous smile, not so badly that Fräulein von Werben need be afraid to give me the honour.”
“The Rheinländer then! I have already promised all the others. Now I must go and entertain the company.” She nodded kindly to him and turned away, but came back immediately. “Do you like my brother?”
“Very much.”
“I wish so much that you should be friends. Do try to see more of him. Will you?”
“With all my heart.”
She was now
